THE SEAMY SIDE.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16791, 7 May 1926, Page 8

THE SEAMY SIDE.

♦- TALES TOLD TO MAGISTRATE. RELATIVES ON THE RATES. (By R. E. Corder in London Dailv Mail). Happy is inn home without a rent flay, and there are many such in Bclhnal Green and Shorcditch, E., where llic rent collector is a harmless sort ol' man suffering from illusions. A smartly dressed, plump little woman summoned at Old Street Police Court yesterday smiled when questioned about her rent. Her husband is a metal polisher in regular work, but Ihey have not paid a penny of the 7s a week rent, since before last,December, and they are heavily in arrears on previous years. She blandly told Mr Snell, the magistrate, that as the house was coming down some time paying rent seemed an unnecessary formality; but she was ordered to pay 10s a week or get out.

Another woman admitted she might owe £6 15s, but she was not a very good scholar. Her husband, too, .was in regular work. -This is the sort of thing I am always finding in the drain," complained the agent, holding up an iron fork. "If it is not forks it is knives, or spoons, and the sanitary inspector is never away."

"That will be the children," said Hie woman pleasantly, as she agreed to pay 10s a week. Another favourite method of securing a good time in this locality is to hand your obligations over to the guardians. A sawyer, with no family and earning a regular wage of £3 9s 2d a week, was ordered to pay 2s a week towards Ibe support of his mother, aged 05 and unable to work, .who is now on the rates.

A single man earning £3 12s a week strongly objected to paying Ds towards the support of his mother, who is costing the Shorcditch Guardians £1 Cs 10d a week.

A cabinet-maker whose wages are £i 12s 9d said lie could not afford 5s towards the upkeep of a relative who is in the Bclhnal Green Workhouse, as he had a wife and child, so the amount was reduced to is.

A porter separated from his wife, to whom he pays nolhing, said he could not possibly pay 3s Gd each for his three children, who are being looked after by the guardians. He gels £2 12s a week, lives in a common lodg-ing-house, and spends his wages on himself. He will now live 00 £2

By living rent free and sending dependents to the workhouse it is possible to have a very jolly time in the East End.

"My husband will not be alive tomorrow," complacently announced a slout and mild woman. "Yes," she said placidly, conscious of the sensation she had made, "our son is always wauling to fight his father, and tomorrow he threatens to kill him." The warrant ofllccr was instructed to arrange for a postponement of the sudden passing. On his way the ofllccr was also asked to inform a landlady that when she needs exercise she must adopt some other method than Hum of throwing her lodger down stairs.

Patrick Joseph, a powerful young man, desired an interview with the magistrate, and, adopting Ihc quickest way of attaining his object, he threatened to smash every window in the house of his parents. Yesterday morning (ho gaoler introduced him from the dock to Mr Snell. "It is really a technical charge," said Patrick Joseph. "I intended lo come before you. You see, I really sold my home and business, and found my wife accommodation elsewhere, but she refuses to go. My methods were technical, not vindictive. Now t should like your advice on " "Slop talking and pay 10s," said the magistrate, also more technical than vindictive.

Because her husband kept £1 out of his weekly wage of £3 ss, a wife employed as a domestic- servant in a public-house added to her allowance by pawning table and other linen stolen from her employer. As she had stolen systematically from the first day she. was engaged last July, she was remanded for a week in custody, after which she will be bound over.

Complaints having been received by the police of schoolgirls being molested al a Bethnal Green L.C.C. school, a watch was kept on the premises, where a tall youth of 10 was found hiding. The son of respectable parents, he bad never kept a job more than a few weeks, lie grinned amiably from the dock and seemed not al all alarmed at Ihe charge of being a suspected person. "He is a very obstinate boy and does not realise his position," said the court missionary. "lie treats the whole thing as a joke." "Indeed." remarked Ihc magistrate, smiling dangerously. "Would you like lo go lo prison?" he asked the grinning youth, who laughed at wlial iie evidently thought was a good joke. "Well, you shall for a week," said Mr Snell sweetly, and il was a very subdued and rallier scared you 111 who accepted Hie inflation of Hie gaoler to "Step lliiH way."

Joseph Pinkowski is, as a rule, a hard-working, law-abiding ynulli, with no vires and no evil companions—lull he has one obsession. Al certain intervals he is seized with an attack of paternal afTeclion. and then In' must no and visit ids father al all cosls. .No matter where his father happens lo lie at Ihc time, Joseph Pinkowski when lie hears the call of the blood must obey. , . Last October he stole £ . to visit his father when he was in the country. On his return he was bound over. In December, however, the symptoms again developed and as his father was this lime in Poland, the affectionate son stole a cheque for £ls, cashed it,'and journeyed lo Poland. Again he returned, and was again arrested. This Joseph-in-search-nf-a-father business worried Mr Snell, who was ut first inclined lo send the youth lo Borstal. Joseph Pinkowski looked so innocent, however, and expressed his sorrow so eloquently in a Cockney accent, that, the magistrate gave him u second chance and put him on a year's probation. ______